St Albans City F.C. Statistics Saintsnet - The Official website of St Albans City Football Club

css drop down menu by Css3Menu.com

Change:  Move to:
17.08.2004 at 19:45 Clarence Park Attendance : 341
St Albans City
2 - 5
Welling United
Referee : Gavin Muge Conference South match

Goalscorers
Chris Seeby (68)
Matt Hann (76)
D.Slatter (20)
L.Spiller (59)
P.Booth (60)
S.Hughes (69)
P.Booth (78)
Opening squads
James Robinson
Richard Thomas
Dean Hooper
Scott Cousins
Chris Zoricich
Jamie Southon
Gary Wraight
Adam Parker
Gary Crawshaw
Chris Seeby
Spencer Knight
M.Brennan
T.Brown
I.Wiles
A.Arnott
L.Watts
D.Lye
D.Slatter
L.Spiller
S.Hughes
P.Booth
M.Lee
Substitutes
Wesley Jackman
Darren Sarll
Matt Hann
Jake Attwood
Peter Afolayan
G.Lay
P.Collins
G.Street
G.Phillimore
D.Skinner
Substitutions
Matt Hann -> Gary Crawshaw (62)
Darren Sarll -> Gary Wraight (63)
Jake Attwood -> Spencer Knight (86)
G.Lay -> D.Slatter (86)
Yellow cards
Adam Parker (55)
L.Spiller
S.Hughes
I.Wiles
Red cards
None. None
Match report | Preview


Any delusions of grandeur St Albans City may have harboured following their opening day success at Sutton were ruthlessly shattered at Clarence Park on Tuesday night as Welling United, in recording their first Nationwide South victory of the season, handed the Saints their heaviest first home game of the season defeat for 46 years.
After an even opening spell the Saints were found wanting in all departments. Time and again the former Dr Martens club found vast open spaces in the City defence while Paul Parker's side also comfortably bossed the midfield and with City's attacking options limited in the extreme it was the Kent side who posed the greater threat throughout.
The Saints showed one change from Saturday with Gary Crawshaw stepping in for the unavailable Lee Clarke, Adam Parker was again used as a stopgap striker to partner Crawshaw but it is clearly not his best position.
The game was open from the start with both sides enjoying some promising moments early on although neither goalkeeper was called upon to make a worthwhile save during this time. All this changed on 21 minutes when Danny Slatter, who played a significant role in United's victory, found acres of space on the edge of the home penalty area and calmly opened the scoring with a precise curling effort high to James Robinson's left.
Slatter and Paul Booth both had chances to extend the visitors lead but it was City who ended the half strongly with Parker going close with two headers and Crawshaw twice failing to take advantage of good positions. A superbly timed tackle by Chris Seeby on the stroke of half time denied Stephen Hughes an almost certain goal while within 40 seconds of the restart Booth snatched wastefully at a gilt-edge opportunity.
Just after the hour a remarkable six goals were scored in just 16 minutes but with the first two going Welling's way City were swiftly edged out of contention. On 61 minutes Lee Spiller collected a short free kick and then saw his 30-yard shot glance off the head of an advancing defender and loop over Robinson into the York Road net. A minute later Stuart Booth claimed the third Wings goal with a powerful shot into the centre of the home goal.
At three down the game was well beyond the Saints but suddenly the play became frantic at both ends and it took a remarkable save by Wings keeper Martin Brennan to keep out a thunderbolt effort from Chris Zoricich on 68 minutes, but from the resulting corner, taken by Spencer Knight, Seeby smartly reduced the arrears with a downward header.
Welling though, required just a further two minutes to re-establish total dominance with Hughes getting an outstretched leg on the end of a cross to poke home his second goal in four days. But again the Saints came back and notched a deserved second on 76 minutes with substitute Matt Hann bravely diving in to force home a rebound before Brennan could smother the ball after Thomas had set up Parker for a fierce drive.
But as before Welling hit back immediately with this time Danny Lye beating Scott Cousins with some ease to Ian Wiles long ball before firing beyond Robinson for a fifth time. Goal chances continued to flow with Hughes heading narrowly wide for United while Parker superbly turned his marker en route to the penalty area where he checked back inside another defender before having a low drive deflected away by Brennan's trailing leg.
With City having now won only three times in 17 home league games under Castle and only once in the last 11 the visit of a new-look and as yet winless Hayes on Saturday could be the ideal opposition for the Saints to get their season back on track.

Report by Dave Tavener